Tourniquet Blanket Hold
by otrera-kicks-ass
Summary: Look, man, I really don't want to, but if I have to, I will put you in a tourniquet blanket hold," he blurted out. The other man froze. "What?" / Based on a tumblr post. / Sabriel


Nighttime was Gabriel's least favourite thing in the whole world. Nothing else even came close (except for maybe spiders, or stale pastries). He couldn't stand the blackness pressing in on all sides, so suffocating it was almost tangible. Nights like this were the worst, because Gabriel had needed to stay at work later than usual and he had to find his way home without any light save for the pale sliver of silver that was the moon. It didn't help matters that the neighbourhood he lived in was not the safest of places.

Speaking of not safe...

"Hey, you!" shouted a deep voice from across the street. Gabriel looked over, and had to do a double-take because holy shit this guy was huge! He had to be over six feet tall. Unfortunately for Gabriel, it seemed like he had done something to get on the giant's bad side. The guy was already halfway across the road and oh, boy, did he look menacing while backlit by the pale glow of the moon. It was slightly embarrassing to admit, but Gabriel was so frightened he couldn't even move his feet.

The giant grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him roughly against the side of the apartment complex behind him. As the stranger pulled by his right arm and curled his - dinner plate-sized - hand into a fist, Gabriel did what he usually did in a sticky situation: opened his mouth and started talking.

"Look, man, I really don't want to, but if I have to, I will put you in a tourniquet blanket hold," he blurted out.

The other man froze. " _What_?"

"Yeah, you've probably never heard of it, but it's super painful," Gabriel continued, his heart beating erratically, "and it's kind of my signature move, so -"

"Oh my god," said the stranger. He let go of Gabriel like he'd been burned. "Oh my god, I am so sorry! I didn't realize - I thought you were someone else. I wasn't trying to attack you for no reason or anything, I swear. There's this guy who keeps being a dick to my best friend, and I thought you were him. I'm really sorry."

Gabriel blinked. That did not sound like the murderous giant who had pinned him to a wall with one hand. He sounded like a kid who was afraid of being scolded by his mom. He also kinda sounded like he was being honest.

"Jesus, kid, don't you have any brains to match your ginormous body?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gabriel wanted to smack himself. Insulting a guy who looked like he could snap him in half with his bare hands was probably detrimental to his health.

Much to his surprise, the stranger laughed. "Well, I'm a student at Stanford, so I like to think I've got a few brains. Sometimes, though, I neglect to use them." He held out a giant hand. "I'm Sam."

"Gabriel," said Gabriel, shaking the proffered hand. "Stanford, huh?"

"Yeah," said Sam. "I'm studying to be a lawyer."

Even though it was too dark for Sam to see him, Gabriel wiggled his eyebrows. "Ooh, fancy."

Sam laughed again. He had a nice laugh, Gabriel noticed. Clear and deep, like one of those giant bells on a church tower.

"Hey, look, I really am sorry about before," Sam said, sounding sheepish. "Would you let me walk you home or something, to make it up to you?"

Putting a hand on his chest in a mock-indignant manner, Gabriel said, "Why, Sammy! Are you asking to come home with me? You should at least buy me dinner, first."

Even though he couldn't see his face, Gabriel was pretty sure Sam was blushing.

"No! I didn't - I wasn't -"

Gabriel snorted. "Relax, I was just teasing. C'mon, my apartment complex 's this way."

They walked down the street in companionable silence for about two seconds, then Sam asked, "Hey, Gabriel?"

"Yeah?"

"What the hell's a tourniquet blanket hold?"

This time it was Gabriel who laughed. "It isn't anything. I was just talking a blue streak, 'cause I thought you were gonna kill me or something."

They laughed together. Gabriel caught a glimpse of white teeth as he and Sam smiled at each other, and he thought that the darkness didn't seem so suffocating with Sam by his side.

 **Hello! This is both my first one-shot and my first SPN fic. Comments and concrit are both appreciated! I'm Otrera on AO3, and otrera-kicks-ass on tumblr.**


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